THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4298, 23 August 1875, Page 2

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[PROM OUR OWN CORRE3PONDI!:rr 1 Thames, Saturd.v UKA.—The extent of this company, h uis one of the largest on the Thames 2oMfi7s originally consisting of the Duke of pj' 4, burgh, Dayspring, Loyalty, and P r Wales claims, to which was attaehJ \\i battery (erected by Messrs. Gibbon, th j Buckland on the Karaka Creek, as 1 mill, and called the Una), which led to th • mation of the Una Gold Mining and Crushing Company, with a nominal S*u7 of £75,000, in £5 shares, £4 10s sideredas paid up with scrip held intnl* by the company. Tho fcllowin» e W" have since been purchased and incorporatS 3 namely, the Pride of Karaka and Yon?' May Moon. The company have now if possession -upwards of tweny-six * a-half acres ground, with the hatte and site en which it stands. Their onei2 tions have been carried on with consideraH enterprise and, for a period, witb working their ground, or, rather;'* portion of it, systematically on three .ijparau leveh), driving on lodes and connecting wort by winzes for upwards of 3000 feet, and lOOri feet of self-acting tramway for traasitof quartz to milL The success of these operations may be inferred by the statement that during that time calls were made to the extent of 5s 6d per share, but dividends were from time to time declared etjaal to 9s per scrip. The two famous shots of gold known as the Pride of Karaka and Loyalty lodes, were worked on in the upper levels, and to intersect them again, a fourth and lower level has been driven into the hill-side 1100 feet, meeting the reef, which has been followed southerly for another 100 feet. The lode is about 2 feet wide, stone of good quality, and haa yielded a fair show of specimens. This wflj continue to be driven on, in the expectation of coming under the shot of gold formerly obtained in the No. 3 level, known as the Loyalty. The backs to be obtained from this drive will be 150 feet, and, in order to open the block, a winze has been started from No. 3 to connect with the present workings. Owing to the length of the drive, the company have been under the necessity of supplying air from the mouth of the adit, which is thoroughly effected by the simple contrivance of water-power, a continuous stream of which constantly forces the atmosphere to the face of the drive by the means of pipes carried in the entire distance. To connect this outlet with the mill a new line of tramway, 1500 ft, is now being constructed, and will be completed in a few weeks, enabling the quartz to be utilised, of" which there is a large quantity ready for milling. The present low level is about 500 ft. from the top of the hill, and about the same distance above high-water mark, and will afford the means of not only delivering stone from the lode now wrought, but enable cross-cuts to be put in that may lead to .other discoveries, the bulk of the ground being as yet untried. A call of 6d. per scrip has lately been made to cover the cost incurred in driving the last level, the whole of which was through very tight ground. There is still 4s 6d per to call up, if required. The company may be said to be out of debt, with the mine in good condition, close to profit, while the battery of twenty-five stampers is earning money by working for other companies. In a comparatively short time, however, a portion of the stampers will be required for the company's own stuff, independent of crushing for two parties of tributers, who hold portions of ground on the old upper levels. The battery is well housea, worked by water-power for 10 head, and supplied with steam from Cornish boiler, with beam-enpine powerful enough to drive the 15 remaining stampers, or the whole plant should it be necessary. There are also five 3ft. 6in. berdans, with every other necessary. The whole of the works are and have been under the management of Mr. F. Day for the past eighteen months, and who has been intimately cennected with the propery for upwards of five years. This mine has lately been brought into notice, and the scrip enquired for. The present show of quartz and the prospects entertained may realise in placing this property in a prominent position.

Twelfth of July (Tap,o).—ll ozs. 14 dwts. IS grs. melted gold waselodged at the National Bank, as the result of a 70-ton crushing.

Tairua Gold Minim; Company.—At a meeting of directors, it was resolved to proceed with the erection of a 20-stamper battery, and "that Mr. G. P. Hilton be entrusted ■with the same, who will immediately get out the necessary plans and specifications. It was also resolved to proceed with the tramway connecting mine with battery, from plans furnished by Sir. "W. Sims. The small 4-stamper mill is expected to be completed in two weeks.